The Role of Youth Engagement in Countering Violent Extremism

Tunisia is facing a growing threat from the potential return of thousands of foreign fighters who joined the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Syria, Iraq, and Libya, while extremist groups continue to recruit young Tunisians into their ranks. To discuss the role that youth can play in addressing these trends, Carnegie’s Sarah Yerkes moderated a discussion with Marouan Felfel, a member of the Tunisian parliament from Machrou Tounes, and two youth civil society activists—Amir Ben Ameur and Emir Sfaxi. The speakers described how youth frustration with the Tunisian government and exclusion from the political system feeds radicalization. They argued that socio-economic reforms must take place soon, and begin to be felt by the society at large, in order to prevent further extremist recruitment. While the speakers disagreed somewhat about the role of government in engaging with youth, they all recognized the need for better linkages between civil society and government.